Dies for making bars



June 2, 1931. e. LANGFORD DIES FOR MAKING BARS I 6 Sheets-Sheet I 1 Filed Apri1 l 0. 1929 June 2, 1931. LANGFORD 1,808,467

DIES FOR MAKING BARS Filed April 10. 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 2 1931. LANGFORD 1,808,467

DIES FOR MAKING BARS Filed April l0. 1929' 6 SheetsSheet 3 J3 Z/Q .37

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jg I Z5 I l five/22 m? (fea/yela/gg arcZ June 2, 1931. G. LANGFORD DIES FOR MAKING BARS Filed April 10. 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 ZZZ June 2, 1931. G. LANGF ORD 1,808,467 1' I DIES FOR MAKING BARS Filed April 10. 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 r 60 I V V v L Patented, June 2, 1933 Lear? UNITED STATES" PATENT- OFFICE GEORGE LANGFORCD, -OF JOLIET, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO MCKENNA PROCESS COMPANY OF ILLINOIS, 0F JOLIET, ILLINOIS, A. OOR- PORATION OF ILLINOIS :oms iron. mine BARS Application filed April 10,

My invention relates to bars used in rail joints, and more particularly to dies for reforming worn bars.

It is known that in use in the track the head and flange bearing surfaces of the bars wear away at the center one-third or one-fourth of the length of the bars at a much greater rate than at the end portions of the bar. A bar which has been worn in this manner to such an extent as to render it difiicult or impossible to obtain a tight fit between the fish ng surfaces of the rails and the center portions of the bars is unfit for service and must be replaced. Such a bar can, however, be reformed so as to restore its original fishing height at the center portion of the bar or, if desired, in reforming this bar, the center portion thereof can have the fishing surfaces and fishing height increased beyond its original fishing height.

It has been proposed heretofore to reform worn bars by heatmg them and then sub'ecting them to ressure in closed dies, the are being presse throughout their lengths and withoutprovision for properly restoring the heights and widths of head and flange fishing surfaces at the central portion of the bars where wear is greatest, without which provision, the pressure required for reforming is so great as to break even the largest com mercial presses. I have conceived the possiw bility of diminishing widths and thicknesses of the closed die cavities at their central portions so as to apply pressure for necessary spread of metalfor filling out the worn parts and restoring the height of fishing at the central portion of the bar, or if desired increasing the height of the bar, or increasing the height of fishing at such portion. I have found. that in using ordinary straight sided and straight surface dies to spread out or thin the center portion of the bar, difficulty is encountered and enormous pressure is required,

due to the fact that such dies bear too much on the end portions of the bar and on the portions intermediate the ends and the central portion, and not enough on the center portion, so that it is impossible, in the case of badly worn bars, to obtain the desired 1929. Serial No. 854,142.

spreading out or thinning of the bar at the center portion thereof.

' In reforming a bar, I usedies having forming surfaces which converge inwardly ofthe dies in such manner as to obtain the desired spreading of the metal, the greatest pressure of the dies being applied at the central portion of the bar, as the dies are closed, so as to effect the desired spreading action, the end portions of the bar being relieved of or having the least pressure and, therefore, not opposing closing of the dies. possible to readily spread the center portion of the bar to the desired extent and with the application of but relatively small pressure.

This renders it This has the further advantage that the head land flange fishing surfaces of the bar, particthe fishing of the rail end. This is particularly important at bar. 7

There are short and long, angle bars in use, the former varying from 24to 28 inches in length, and the latter varying from 36 to 42 inches in length. My invention applies equally to all lengths of bars, though for the purpose of illustration I have shown in the accompanying drawings a short bar. My invention also applies to barswhich may be tapered throughout their entire section or to bars one or more elements, only, of which msiybetapered. p

. n practicing my method I employ dies of special construction, walls of which are so the center portion of the related and'disposed as the passes and forming to spread the central portion of-the bar so as to increase the fishing height of such central portion, this spreading action being accomplished by displacing the metal at the central portion thereof, this displacement being aped in this manneraccomplish a number of purposes. The greatest pressure may-be concentrated at the central worn portion of the bar by overcoming the resistance of the less worn portions intermediate between the central portion and ends. The pressure at center may also be applied to efi'e'ct a greater latthe central portion of the bar to properly reeral movement of metal at center, and this pressure maybe made to apply first at center, this being followed by waves of pressure from the center toward each end. These waves of pressure may also be graduated from center toward the endsby graduating the thickness of one or more elements of the closed die cavities, the cavities increasing in width or depth or both from the central ortion outward toward each end. This I elieve to be broadly new in the art of reforming rail joint bars.

The novelty of my invention lies in the die construction where with the use of die surface convexities which decrease the closed die cavity crosssectional area at the center and increase it at the ends, the result is a composite pair of dies whose central portion functions differently than the end portions, the reformed bar completely filling the dies at the central portion and incompletely filling the dies at the two end ortions.

The main obj ecto my invention is toinsure sufiicient pressure and movement of metal at store'or raise the fishing heightat that portion. Another ob'ect is to restore the worn central portion 0 a bar at the same time maintaining the fishing alignment'of the bar as a whole. Still another object is to reform a bar with a minimum of pressure. Still another object is to reform a bar with a minimum of distortion in cross section or longitudinally.

Further objects and advantages of m in-- vention will appear from the detaile description.

In the drawings: y 7 Figure 1 is a plan view of a-worn bar;

side view of the bar of Figure'l;

Figure 3 is a side view of a bar having its [center height gortionrestored to its original fishing y reforming a bar such as that shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a side view of a barhaving its center portion of increased fishing height so as to be crowned at both the top and the bottom such a bar being produced by reforming the bar of Figure 2;

Figure 5. i'sa ure 4;

Figure'fi is a 'side view of a bar reformed in accordance with m 5 invention and crowned at both top and ottom;

planv iew of the bar of Fig nnllign g'l is aplan view of the bar ofFigure 6;

Figure 8 is a perspective outer side visw of the fishing height of-the center the bar to the an uncrowned bar produced in accordance Figure 13 is a perspective'view of the dies,

the upper die being tilted upwardly away from the lower die;

Fi ure 14. is an end view of the dies in close position;

Figure 15 is asection taken substantially on line 15-15 of Figure 14;

Figure 16 is a plan view of the lower die; Figure 17 is anend view of a modified form of bar the head portion thereof being sectioned at the center portion ofthe bar;

Figure 18 is an end view of another modified form of bar showin the fiange portion sectioned at the center 0 the bar; v

Figure 19 is a view of 'a third modified form of bar, this view being asection on a vertical plane at the center of the bar;

Figure 20 is .a central sectional view through a fourth modified formof bar;

the desired-spreadin orincrease in fishing hei ht of the center ortion'of the bar;

igures 34 to 43 are plan views of bars illustrating various ways of obtaining the desired tapered effect and spreading of the central portion of the bar 2 In Figures 1 to 7 of the drawings I have illustrated, more or less di rammatically, the problem to be solved. n Figural, I have illustrated a flat bar 1, the center portion 2 of which has been worn down at both the to and the bottom, at 2, to such an extent that the fishing height of this center portion is much less than that of the end portions 8.

Figure 2 represents sucha bar in side view,

this being assumed to be a bar which has been in use for a long time. The amount of wear of the center portion of the bar has been ex aggerated so asto be readily perceivable and to more clearly illustrate conditions which exist in practice. The problem is to restore ortion 2 of eight of the en portions 3, as in Figure 3, onto provide from the bar of Figures 1 and 2 a bar having a center portion the fishing height of which is greater than that of the end portions, as in Figure'4. In

. Figure 3f} the restored center portion 2 is ual in shing height to the end portions 3, w ereas, in Figure 4, the'fishin height of the center portion 4 is greater t an that of the end ortions 3. To produce the crowned ing.

bar of *igure 4 from the bar of Figures 1 and 2, the center portion of the bar is pressed inwardly .from the opposite sides thereof, as in Figure 5. By pressing the center portion .of the bar to a less extent than in Figure 5,

the bar of Figure 3 isproduced. It is thus possible to readily restore or increase the fishin height of the center portion of a worn ar, as desired. It will be noted that in Figure 5 the pressure on the end portions 3 of the bar is slight or nil. Also, in this figure, the center portion 4 is illustrated as being pressed inwardly from both sides of the bar, so as to be expanded or spread toward the top and bottom edges of the bar. Obviously, the same result can be accomplished by pressing the center portion of'the bar inwardly from one face only.

It may be seen from the preceding description that the main problem of reforming is to restore-the central portion of the worn bar, the end portions because of their comparatively unworn condition requiring little and in some cases practically no reform- By comparison of Fig. 2 a worn bar and Fig. 3 reformed bar made from Fig. 2,

' only the central portion of the worn bar has been reformed, in fishing height, the end portions. remainin practically unchanged. This is also true of Fig. 4 a crowned bar reformed from the worn bar of Fig. 2. It may also be seen that as regards horizontal thickness, Fig. 5 is a crowned bar reformed from the worn bar of Fig. 1 and has its end portions unchanged, the displacement of metal required to restore the fishing height being confined to the central portion of the bar. Assuming Figs. 3, 4 and 5 to represent closed die cavities, if the end portions of the cavities are no narrower nor thinner than the end portions of the worn bars,there will be little or no pressure upon the end portions of the bars as the dies close under pressure, thus concentrating the pressure upon the central portion of the bar. While there are certain types of bars whose central portions may be sharply elevated as in Fig. 4, the greater length of fishing contact usually found desirable results in the ordinary crowned bar form of Fig. 6 which is shown crowned on its top and bottom fishing surfaces, although in practice it is cus'iomary to put all or the greater part of the crowning on the top fishing surface of the bar. Unlike Fig. 4, the bar of Fig. 6 is provided for full length fishing contact and may be fitted to unworm rail end by flexing in the ends, or it maybe fitted to worn rail ends with little or no end flexure. This form of crowned bar therefore requires that one or both of its fishing surfaces must taper from the central portion of the bar to the ends so as to reduce the fishin height from the center to the ends as in Fig. 6. This tapering of the fishing surfaces vertically obvious- 1y calls for spreading of metal intermediate t e central portion-and ends, requiring intermediate pressure in addition to the pressure required to restore the height of the worn central portion of the bar; To accomplish 6 and 7 obviouslyrequires greater reforming pressure than the method shown in Figs. 4

and 5 where no vertical or horizontal tapering is employed and there is little or no pressure on the end portions 3. Inasmuch as the central wear in bars, is actually more concave than-shown in Fig. 2 and that the central displacement of metal must therefore be greater at the very center, decreasing outwardly, the application off'vertical pressure in dies shown in Fig. 7 is more preferable than the application of vertical pressure as shown in Fig. 5 to produce the uncrowned bar ofFig. 3 as well as the crowned bar of Fig. 6. As has been shown however, the methods illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 Williequire much less pressure forreforming the worn central portion of the bar than that required by the method illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, assuming that Figs. 3 to 7 inclusive represent the closed die cavities, as well as the bars reformed in them. To compensate for the increased pressure required to reform bars of Figs. 6 and 7 over those of Figs. 4 and 5, I increase the tapers of the end portions 6 in Fig. 7 and continue them farther into the central portion 5, the resultbeing more of a convexity than shown in Fig. 7 and with the outer part of the end portions of the closed die cavity enlar ed to a point where the end portions. of the bars do not completely fill the dies, advantage being taken of the comparatively slightly worn condition of the bar ends to relieve them of reforming pressure so as to effect the necessary concentration of pressure at the central-portion of the closed die cavity to properly reform the worn central portion of the bar. To summarize, the problem of pressure and metal distribution, simplified in Figs. 4 and 3 by reforming only the worn central portion 4 of the bar and not reforming the comparatively unworn ends 3, but resultin in the one case of Fig. 4 as a bar without lll length fishing contact, is met in the more desirable form of crowned bar in Fig. 6 as compared with that of Fig. 4, by effecting the more difli-f cult distribution of metal and application of pressure in dies. so designed with longitudinally convexed surfaces tapering outward to the ends that the end portions of the bar will not completely fill the dies, thus effecting better concentration of pressure and dis- In Figure 8, I have illustrated a bar formed in accordance with my method, this bar being produced by reforming a, worn bar and restoring the fishing height of the center portion thereof to the same height as the fishing of'the end portions of the bar. In this bar,-

the center portion 7 a of the flange 7 is of less thickness than the end portions 7 'which tabars similar to that ofFigure 8 applied to a rail, one of the bars bein shown in end' view and the other bar being s own in section, the section being taken-at the center of the bar. As will be noted from this figure of the drawings,'center portion 9" of the web of the bar at the right hand side of rail 10 is appreciabl thinner than the end portions 9" of the we of the bar at the left of the rail. -It will also benoted that the center portion 8 of the head of the right hand bar is of appreciably less width and vertical thickness than the end portions 8 of the head of the bar at the left of the rail. I I

The center portion 7 of flange 7 of the right hand bar is of appreciably less vertical thickness than the end portion 7 b of the-flange of the left hand bar. It will thus be seen that the bar ofFigure 8 has been produced by tapering the entire section of the bar from each end thereof to the center portion of the bar. I thus displace metal from the head and .flan-ge of the bar, as well as the web thereof,

and cause this metal to flow toward the head and flange of the bar at the center portion thereof so as to restore the fishing height.

- .This is advantageous not only as giving the desired fishing height to the center portion of the bar, butalso because it renders avail.- able suflicient metal to be redistributed to force the fishing surfaces of the head and the flange, at the center portion of the bar, against the corresponding surfaces of the dies, thus assuring accurate forming of such fishing surfaces- This is highly important,

as these fishing surfaces, particularly at the center portion. of the bar, must be accurately spaced and accurately formed for proper bearing contact with the cooperating surfaces of the rails. While I have illustrated and described the bar as beingireformed by tapering the entire section'thereof from each end toward the center portion of the bar, this is not essential in some cases, as will be later explained, and I do not intend to limit lbnyself to this one method of producing the The bar illustrated in Fi be considered as being pro need from a worn bar reformed to restore the original fishing height of the-center portion thereof, such bar being initially uncrowned.

This -reformed bar is adapted for use with new or unworn rails, it being noted in Figure 11 that the fishing surface of the right hand side of the rail head is at the same height as the fishing surface at the left hand side of the rail head.

All of the figures of reformed bars so far described, or to be described, may also be I considered as illustrative of sections taken measurable in-the dies but are difficult to measure in the finished bars for the following reasons. l

he ordinar rail'joint has take-u between bar ead and rail. web 0 3/16", the fishings being so angled that wear of 3/32" in fishm'g' helght uses all take-up space and the 'oints life is ended. Th1s 3/32" of worn shin height may be taken as half in the rail en s and half in the bar, so that when the bar has lost 3/64 in fishing height, it is worn out. The head fishing of the bar being. generally of less area than the flange fishing, wears most, so that 1/32 ma be taken as the bars head fishing wear,

space. a out res 8 and 11 may f fishin as the one where movement of'metal must be greatest, the problem in reforming to the original fishing height is to move one surface, the head fishing, 1/32" upward. If

this be accomplished by bevelling orthinning at center on one surface only,'the bevelling thus applied wouldshow the bar thinned 1/32 at center on the one surface. the head of a modern bar, detached, ma be considered as having 6 surfaces, and as t inning the die cavities at center may be applied on 5 surfaces to elevate the 6th which is the head fishing surface, the 1/32" of thinning on one surface, distributed over 5 surfaces, would show a thinning at the center of the closed die cavity of 1/160" on each surface, readily measurable on the dies but diflicult to detect on the bar reduced. It can thus be seen that the smal amount of wear which makes a bar scrap and the small amounts of thinningvarious members at center to restore the Worn parts of the bar, call for only slight thinning of the die cavity at center, and yet it is these small amounts that mean so much in the proper restoration of the worn fishing surfaces. To thin various members of a die cavity at the central portion so that this thinning is not restricted to any one surface,

However rsoaeev means that the metal is moved evenly and 4 not distorted in any one place, and that the height at its center portion than, at its end portions. Center portion ll -of web 11 is of greater vertical height than end portions 11 of the Web, these end portions of the web tapering in vertical height from the center portion 11 to the ends of the bar. It will also be noted, by referenceto Figure 10 that the center portion 12 of head 12 is of less vertical height and less horizontal thickness than the end portions 12 which taper in thickness from the ends of the bar to the center portion 12*.

- and the center portion 13 of the flange 13 is of less vertical thickness than the end portion 13 of the flange, these end portions tapering in thickness from the ends of the bar to the center portion thereof, and the center portion 13 extends below the end portions 13*. Center portion 11 of web 11 is of less thickness horizontally than the end portions j ends of the bar to the center 11 ,'as shown in Figure 10, theend portions of the web tapering in thickness from the portion 11 The closed die cavity for forming the bar of Figures 9, 10 and 12 is, in general, of the same general structural characteristics-as the die construction for making the bar of Figures 8 and 11, except that in the die for the bar of Figure 9 provision is made so that in the formed bar the web tapers vertically as well as horizontally and the center portion of the bar is of greater height than the end portions, thus producing a bar which is crowned both at the head and the flange.

In Figure 12., I have illustrated 'a rail 14 having two bars constructed as in Figures 9 and 10 applied thereto, one of the bars being shown in end view and the other'bar being shown in central section. As will be noted, the central portion 11' of the web of the bar at the right hand side of the rail is appreciably higher and thinner than the end portions 11 of the web of the bar at the left hand side of the rail. that the head fishing surface and the flange fishing surface of the right hand bar are respectively higher and lower than the corresponding surfaces of the left hand bar. This bar is illustrated as applied to a rail 14 which has been in use some time, the center portion of each of the head and flange fishmg surfaces 15 and 16, respectively, of the The center portion 12 of the head is higher than the ends of the bar,

It will also be noted rail-having been worn away to a much greater extent than the end portions 17 and 18 of such surfaces, which may be considered as not worn.

This bar is thus well adapted for use withworn rail ends. Under some conditions, a bar constructed in tlus manner, though not so heavily crowned, may be used with new or slightly worn rail ends, the vertical bevelling of the end-portions 11 of the web 11 of the bar permitting the end ortions of the bar to be ciently to position the drawn inwardly s ends of the bar head beneath .the rail head.

It may be noted from examination of Figs. 17 to 20 inclusive that the various bar surfaces thinned at center preserve substantially the same inner and outer profiles at the center as at the ends,'the profiles and section at the ends corresponding closely to those of the original bars. This means that the ends of the reformedbar retain the original contour and section as near as practical, and the same is true of the center except for the slight thinnings previously described. This is my preferred methodand its purpose is to avoid the use of abrupt projections in the dies at center, such as would distort the bar section and materially change the contours or profiles of the inner or outer surface of head, Web or flange, or materially thin any part of the bar sharply on only a part of any surface. Such thinning as I do on an surface is directed to the whole surface an not merely to a portion of it. For example in Fig. 17, the thinning at center on surface 41 is applied slight-, 1y to the surface as a whole and not deeply to a restricted portion of the surface, the purpose being to secure greater pressure or move ment of metal at the central portion of the bar than atthe ends by a longitudinal convexity in the die and not by any pronounced projection in the die such as would distort the surface at Center and materially chan'geits contour.. In other words, I accomplish thinning at center by subjecting one or more surfaces to broad, shallow draughts and not narrow, deep draughts, avoiding distortion of the bar section and securing proper movement of metal to the fishing surfaces at center'by usin longitudinal convexities in the dies,

whic apply greater draughts at the center well as end fishing surfaces without appreciable deformity. i

There are special cases where a bar of one type is to be ref rmed into a bar of another ar section and the in successful restoration of the worn central as type, so that the reformed bar is altered in transverse section and contour. For example, a head contact bar is to be reformed into a head free bar, wherein the head. is moved inward and the fiange'outward in its position to the rail, and the fishing angles may be changed. In such cases the reformed section may be altered considerably from the original section but the thinning at center is accomplished as before by longitudinal convexities thinning one or more surfaces as a whole, slightly and not in part deeply so as to result in too localized thinning or distortion by the use of sharp projections in the dies. In such cases, while the transverse section and contours may be altered from the original, they are similar in the reformed bar at center andends except for the slight thinning at center.

I wish to make it clear here that when I speak of applying pressure to an entire surface, this may be modified to suit particular needs. For example, in Fig. 18, the thinning at 46 may taper out to nothing at the outer extended portion -to shorten the width of flange fishing and provide easement. Similarly in Fig. 20, the thinning at 52 may taper to nothin above so as not to decrease the width of ead fishing. As the amounts of hinnings at center are smaller than shown in Figs. 17 to 20 inclusive, it can be seen that,

ner, thereby presenting one or more convex working surfaces, so that the bar will be distorted as a whole and not locally at the central portion, thereby graduating the pressure rom center to ends and securing even d'raughting as between center and ends, as

would result from maintaining a proper balance of pressure by concentrating pressure at center to secure considerable lateral movement of metal and relieving resistance at the ends where the bar more quickly fills the dies.

In speaking of the central portion of dies or bars thismeans the central ei ht inches or so measured longitudinally t 'nned to draught the more worn part of the bar. The

transverse sectional contour refers to the inner and outer profiles of the cross section. The foot portion of a bar may be flanged or of any desired form. The surface of a die opposite to a fishing surface would beat 41'or 43 in Fig. 17 or at 46 or 47 in Fig. 18. A

. surface of a die adjacent to a fishing surface would be at 42 in Fig. 17 and at 52, and 57 in'Fi'g.-20.

In Fi pair of ies for forming bars inaccordance with m invention. The lower female die 20 is provided with asses 21 and 22 for reforming the head an the flange, res ctively, of

res 13 to 16, I have illustrated a a'bar. These passes are dispose at opposite sides of a center raised portion or block 23. The center portion 24 of this block is provided with a horizontal upper face and the side edges 25 of this portion are parallel with the side edgesof the die. The center portion 26 of pass 21 is parallel with portion 24 of block 23, and the center portion 27 of pass 22 is also parallel with portion 24 of the block. Each end portion 28 of block 23 ta ers in width outwardly to the end of the ie and the uppgr face of such end portion is inclined or yelled downwardly to the end of the die.

The end portions 29 and 30 of the passes 21 and 22, respectively, are disposed arallel to end portions 28 of block 23, that 1s, the end portions of the passes are also inclined downwardly to the ends of the die and the -.end portions 29 and 30 of the passes at each end of the die converge toward the end of the die. The die 20 is further rovided with an inclined surface 31 extend1n upwardly and outwardly from the outer e go of pass 21. Thisdie 20 coacts with an up er male die 32 having a block or extension 3, which enters the recess of die 20. The center portion 34 ofextension 33 has its upper face horizontal and the under face of each end portion 35'ofthisextension is tapered or inclined upwardly to the end of. the die from the center portion 34. Die 32 is provided with a pass 21 similar to pass 21 of die 20, and with an inclined shoulder 31 which coacts with surface 31 of die 20 to form a die lock. The end portions 35 ,of extension 33 taper in width outwardly from the center portion 34 of such extension, and the end portions of pass 21 are disposed parallel with the end ortions 35 of the extension, the center portion of this ass being parallel with center portion 34. lock or extension 33 is provided, at the side thereof remote from pass 21 with a center forming surface 36 and end forming surfaces 37, the surface 36 being parallel to the adjacent side of die 32 and the surfaces 37 being inclined or tapered inwardly of the die transversely thereof from the surface 36 to each end of. the die.

erative relation, are disposed in parallelism to surfaces 36 and 37, respectively, of pass 22 of the lower male die 20. The under face of block 33 of the upper die is convexed downwardl to a greater extent than the ,up-

per face o block 23 of the lower die is con-' vexed upwardly, as clearly illustrated in Figure 15.

The surfaces 36 and 37, when the dies. are in op-- trated in Figures 9, 10 and 12. In the diestructure illustrated, by way of example only, I have shown the passes and forming surfaces as defined by straight lines. I contemplate, however, the use of dies in which the passes and forming surfaces may be formed by arcuate or curved lines, or even stepped lines if desired. The

die structure illustrated and described is by way of example only and, in actual practice, may be varied within wide limits, so as to taper the bar throughout its entire section from the ends to the center portion,or the die may be formed to taper one or more "elements of the bar without tapering the entire section thereof.

For convenience in description, I- have considered the dies as .being dis osed in horizontal position, when used, t e lower die 7 being fixed and the upper die being movable and subjected to pressure in anydesired manner. It will be evident, however, that the diescan be supported in any one of a plurality of positions and either or both of'the dies may be movable, pressure being applied to the diesin any suitable manner.

As will be clear from Fi res 13 and 14, the contacting inclined sur 'aces 31 and 31 of the die lock coact, in the final closing of the dies, to shift die 32 laterally toward the flange of the bar. This is advantageous as subjecting the flange to forming pressure applied thereto in a direction substantially at right angles to the direction of the initially applied pressure. Assuming that the upper die 32 is closed under pressure, the bar is rst subjected to vertical pressure, and, in

i the final closing of the dies, this vertical pressure is, in part, converted by the die lock into horizontal pressure applied to the opposite faces of thefiange of the bar.

InFigures 17 to 20, I have illustrated various ways of thinning or bevelling the dif-' "ferent elements of a bar so as to either restore or increase the height of the fishing at such portion. In Figure 17, I have shown a bar 38 of I-beam type in which the center portion of the head 40 thereof has been reduced or tapered at 41 by pressure applied to the under face of the head. This bar may. also be 7 reduced or tapered at 42 by pressure applied to the outer upper face of the head and under such conditions, the head. may be further tapered or reduced at 43 by pressure applied to the under face of the outer reinforcement for the head. If the bar is not badly worn and it is desired to restore the height of the fishin the taper at 41 is frequently-sufficient. In ot er cases, this taper may be supple- -mented by tapering the head at 42 and 43.

To'produce such a bar, the head forming passes of the dies would be shaped so'as to exert the desired pressure on the selected surfaces of the center portion of the head for producing'the desired'taper, the flange passes of the dies and the surfaces for forming .the a web of the bar being such as not to alter the cross-section of the web and the flange, though acting to accurately reform the fishing surface of the flange. In Figure 18, l have illus trated a bar 44, the fishing height of the center portion of which has been restored by tapering the flange 45 at 46 and 47. This tapermg of the flange is eflected by pressure exerted on the upper face thereof, the displaced metalbeing caused toflow toward the head of the bar, so as to restore the fishing height at the center portion thereof. For producing this bar, the flange pass and forming surfaces of the dies are properly formed to displace the metal at 46 and 47, thus tapering the flange portion of the bar withouttape'ring .the other elements thereof,

In practice, both portions of the flange 45 may be tapered, as illustrated, or either the inner-portion'or the outer portion of the flange may be tapered'y a'ndthis taper may be applied either to the under face or the upper face'of the'fiange. Tapering of the flange is particularly important when applied to'the upper and outer portion, as the pressure required in reforming is largely consumed in properly reforming the flange fishing. As the main problem is to properly reform the central portion where the most wear has occurred, pressure along the flange of the bar must be so applied as toefiect more spread of metal there than at the ends or between the central portion and'ends. The die cavity for the flange is therefore thinned at the central portion and made thicker from there toward each end, reducing the resistance intermediate between center and ends. The reductionof intermediate resistance is of the utmost importance. The bar not being much worn there, so fills the dies that pressure applied there cannot eifect much lateral move-1 merit of metal which having no place to go becomes almost incompressible, and even enormous pressure will not overcome it. The reduction of intermediate resistance is'therefore far more important than concentration of pressure at center, although both are dependent upon each other and directed toward the same purpose. The flange portion of a bar being thin and broad must have the intermediate portions between center and and reduced so as to reduce the large area of resistance opposing movement of metal at the central portion. The same is true of the broad thin 'web, although the web does not play the important part in reforming, as does the flan e. In Figure 19, I have illustrated a barin w ich the fishingheight at the center por-.

tion has been'restored or increased by. taper.- ing the web 48 by-pres'su're applied to the opposite faces thereof at 49 and 50. Either one face of the web may be tapered, or. the web may be'tapered from both faces thereof, as desired. In Figure 20, I have illustrated a bar in which the head 51 has been tapered by pressure'applied thereto transversely of the ar. at 52 and 53, the flange 54 having also been tapered by pressure applied thereto at 55, 56, and 57. To produce this bar, the dies are, of course, properl shaped to provide the desired pressure at the selected portions'of the bar.

The horizontal thinning of head or flange as in Figure is employed with caution, for

it is not good practice to narrow the widths of fishin at center, this being articularly true of t e portion which I won d prefer to make wider if possible. Moderate narrowing of the fishing may be necessary in some cases but the preferred method, as shown in Figure 20, is to confine thinning of the head to that part which is beneath the head fishing, so that.

thinning of the headat center is accomplished without narrowin of the head fishin heavily crowned bar from a badly worn bar, I preferably ta er' the entire section of the bar, thus ren erin available metal for Y crowning the bar wit out thinning the center portion thereof to an undesired extent, the web portion cavity in the dies frequently being left thickened from end to end or untapered where work upon the web is not necessary for the proper reducing of the bar. Where it is desired to restore the fishing height of a bar which is not badly worn, this may be accomplished by tapering one or more of the elements ofthe bar, as suggested in Figures-l7 to 20, inclusive. The tapers of these figures may be combined in numerous ways to produce the desired result. If it is desired' to restore the fishing height of the center portion of a badly worn bar, I prefer to taper the entire section of the bar,.as in the bar illustrated in Figure 8. Also, Icontemplate producing crowned bars Wl'llCh may be crowned both at the head and the flange, or

may be crowned at the head only or at the flange only, as-conditions may require. It will be obvious that bars formed in accordance with my method may be produced in great variety, such bars involving the principle of my invention, which consists in either restoring or increasing the fishingpheight of the center portion of a bar by tapering one or more elements of the bar or the entire section of the bar from the end portions to the center portion thereof. -While my method is particularlyada ted for reforming worn bars so as to render t em again useful, it can also-be used for forming new bars and Ido not, therefore, limit 111 invention to the reforming of worn bars. urthermore, while my invention is particularly adapted for forming angle angle bars in side view representing closed die cavities, These figures illustrate the various ways in which the tapering of the head and the flange of the bar may be varied and combined to produce the desired effect. It will be noted that this desired taper can be produced either by the use of straight lines or curved lines or by a combination of the two. The bar of Fi ing being producedby tapering the head and flange, this taper bemg defined by straight lines, it being understood that the web portion' of the bar may also be tapered. Bar 59 of Figure 22 is crowned at the head, the head of the bar bein provided with a straight line taper and the ange of the bar having an ar-' 4 .95 1

cuate or curved taper. Bar 60 of Fi re 23 is the reverse of bar 59, being tapere at its In cases where '1t s desired topro uce a witha flan e crown only. Bar 63 of Fi re 28 ispr'ovi ed'with both a head crown an a flange crown. Bar 64 of Fi e 24 is crowned at both the head and the an e and is provided with a strai ht line taper 0 these elements; Bar .65 of igure 25 is provided with a flange crown only, the flange having a a straight line taper and the head of the bar having an arcuate or curved line ta er. This bar is j the reverse of-v bar' 66 of igure 29, which has a head crown only. Bar 67 of Figure 30 has its head and flange each provided with an arcuate or curved linetaper to restore the fishing height of the center portion of the bar, this bar being uncrowned.

The bar 68' of Figure 31 is'uncrowned, the

e21 designated 58, is crowned at both hea' and flange, this crown- Theme illustrated a seits fishing height of the centerportion of the bar having been restored by taperin the center portion of the web, the head an the flangeof the bar being untapered. Bar 69 of Figure 32 is also uncrownedbut has its flange and its head tapered, this bar having been reformed from a bar worn to a greater extent than the bar from which bar 68 of Figure 31-was produced. Bar 70 of Figure 33 is also an unbar 70 the center portion of the tapered surface of the flange and the head,-respectively,

crowned bar similar to bar 69 except that in i of these elements being similarly defined, bar

" 70 thus having a straight line taper, whereas e or curved lines.

pressed inwardly from both sides thereof,-

n'longitudinal center of the bar w thinned or pressed inwardly from both sides re 41 is thicker at. its center portion than ar 77 and is pressed inwardly or'thinned from one side only, the

bar 69 has a curved line or arcuate taper. In all of the bars illustrated in the series shown in Figures 21 to 33, the web portion of the bar may be tapered or not, as conditions require. These bars are intended merely as being illustrative of the many possible variations of my invention, and are not to be considered as in any way limiting my invention to a particular form of bar shown.

Figures 34 to 43, I have illustrated a series of elements which may be considered as showing in plan view either the heads or the flanges or even the webs of bars reformed by my method. In Fi re 34, I have shown a bar 71 which tapers om .each end to the center portion thereof, the center portion having been pressed in from both sides and the taper of the bar being defined by straight lines. In bar 72 of Figure 35, the centerportion of the bar is pressed in to a less extent than inthe bar of Figure 34 and from one side only.

In Figure 36, I have shown a bar 73 similar to bar 72 of Figure 35 except that the center portion is thinned .or pressed in from the op osite side to that of bar 72. In Figures 3 38 and 39, I have illustrated bars in which the tapers are defined by arcuate Bar 74 of Figure 37 is whereas bar 75 is thicker at its center portion than bar 74 and is pressed inwardly from one side only. Bar 76 of Figure 39 is pressed inwardly from the op osite side thereof to bar 75. Bar 77 of Figure tapers in a straight line from each end thereof to the this barbeing thereof. Bar 78 of Fi resulting taper being defined by two straight lines extending from the ends of the bar to thelongitudinal center thereof. The bar 79 of Figure 42 is similar to bar 78 except that t it is pressed inwardl iyhfrom the opagsite side to-that of bar 78. e bar 80 o i ure 43 I'may be considered as a plan view of t e head 7 of a bar, the fishing height of which has-been restored or increased'by bevelling the web without decreasing the horizontal thickness of the center portion of the head. This also be considered as a lan of the web 0 a bar, the fishing height 0 which has beenrestored or increased bevelling either the head or the flange, or 0th, without bevelling the web. These various figures show diagrammatically the many die cavity forms that may be chosen from to'obtain results, it being understood that in all cases one or more'of the die surfaces do not press upon the correspondingbar surfacesat the ends of the bar.

It will be obviousfrom the above that it is possible vto produce, by my method, an

almost endless variety of die cavities in which one or more of the groove walls can be tapered, these various tapers being combined in a great variety of ways to suit the great variety of situations encountered in practice, reforming worn or unworn bars in such manner as to assure accurate forming and spacingof the fishing surfaces while avoiding undesirable thinning of any portions of the bar. It is to be noted that thinning of the center portion of the bariisnot objectionable, since the most severe stresses to which the bar is subjected: in use are vertical stresses and, by thinning the web of the bar its vertical height is increased so that the resistance of the center portion of the bar to vertical-stresses is-increased, rather than decreased, by thinning of the center portion thereof. *This,I believe to be broadly new.

By-thinning of the central portion of the bar, I mean renderi bar of less thickness ar in the manner the center ortion of the above set orth, or, in some instances, theglthis portion of the an the end portions. .This may be done by ap lying pressure at end portions oflthe bar maybe tapered in fishing height and increased in horizontal thickness by pressure applied thereto in suitable mahner.

From the preceding description it can be seen that, while my invention comprises a e I means for .producing bars by making them thinner at the central than at the end portions by. the use of. dies with vertical and horizontal "convex surfaces, the practical application of the invention is the use singly or in combination of the various die convexities best suited for each particular case. If the simplest form of bar-a flat strap be considered, the bar is "then merely a web, the pressure upon whose end portions may be relieved so as to better concentrate upon the central portion by making oneor both dies longitudinally convex or tapering so that when closed, the die surfaces will be closer together at the central portion than at the,

end portions. However, many bars 'now in use are more complicated, having head and flange portions in addition to the web portion, thereby necessitating a more varied and more extensive use of die convexities, and as Y I I find in practice, these convexities are more I barsinto crowned or strai ht bars.

pronounced upon the dies than'upon the bar reformed by them.- j

The-necessity of varied applications of my invention to properly reform bars can be better understood b reference to Figures 17 to 20, inclusive w ere it can be seen that a bar consists of three well-defined portions; 7

head, web and flange.

If each portion be considered by itself, my invention applies as follows, as illustrated in Figures 17 to 20,-inclusive, the bars being shown in their positions as when'in use 1. Head thinned at central portion'vertically by one or-both die convexities as in Figure 17;

2. Head thinned at central portion horil zontally by one or both die convexities as in Figure20;

3. Web hinned at central portion horizontally by one or'both die cohvexities as in Figure 19;'

4. Flange thinned at central portion vertically by one 'or dieconvexities as in Figure 18;

5. Flange thinned-at central portion horizontally by one or bothdie convexities as in Figure 20.

The five applications of convex die surface noted are the ey to my invention, used singly or in combinatmn. My most extensive use of them is Nos. 1, 3 and4, above, usually 'in combination. Thejnvention may be applied to serve two. purposes A concentration of pressure upon the central portionof the bar to properly reform the fishing surfaces of that portion; and A relief of pressure upon the end portions to reduce one or both of the fishing surfaces of those portions. The con centrated pressure at center is directed toward the proper reformation of badly worn My invention may'then e broadly defined as means for making a bar by pressure so applied as to concentrate upon the central POI? tion' or relieve the end portions -thereof,.said means comprising dies with one or more vertically or horizontally convex surfaces extending longitudinally, or by surfaces tapering from the central to the end portions, 50'

that when closed, one or more of the head, web or flange cavities of the dies will be more restricted at the central than at the end portions thereof.

The dies are preferably made of tool steel. Under certain conditions, as when the dies are subjected to great pressure, they tend to straighten out at their central portions, due

, to their inherent resiliency, the outer faces of thedies becomin moreor less bowed. This resultsin straig tening the cavi the dies, to a certain extent, r ucing the taper thereof, with the result that the bar produced may be of uniform cross-section, or substantially so. In the forming of such bar however, the pressure is initially applied an ends and substantially between concentrated at selected ortions of the bar in such manner thatthe fis in height and sur-.

faces are accurately restore or formed in the manner previousl described, whereby, accurate jeforming o the bar is assured. In its broader aspects, my-invention resides in providing forming dies defining a-cavity adapted for reception of a worn bar to be reformed, the elements of the dies defining such cavity being so related as to concentrate pressure on the more worn portions of the bar while relieving pressure on the less worn portions of the bar, thus assuring accurate reforming thereof.

What I claim is 1. A die for reforming worn rail joint bars including a pair of opposing die members having cooperating die cavities defining a space generally corresponding to the railj oint shape, includin intercommunicating spaces for the metal 0 the bar. head, web and foot, certain of the longitudinal walls of said cavities bein longitudinally convexed and the zenith 0 said convexities being in proximal relation to the mostworn portions of thebar whereby to initially forge said barat such points to flow the metal thereof into said worn portions prior to the complete closing of the dies on substantially the whole bar.

2. A die for reforming rail joint bars including a pair of opposing die members hav- -ing cooperating die cavitles defining a space generally corresponding to. the rail joint shape, including intercommunicating spaces for the metal of the bar head, web and foot,

said die having exposed within its cavity a longitudinally convexed' die surface, whose zenithis disposed in the central part of the cavity whereby to initially concentrate a greater forging pressure onthe central portion of the bar to flow metal to the most worn central portions thereof prior to the com lete glosing of the dies on substantially the w ole ar. p

3. A die for reforming rail joint bars in eluding a pair of opposin die members hav ing cooperating die cavit1es defining a ace general y corresponding to the rail oint shape, includin intercommunicating spaces for the metal 0 the bar head, web and foot,

the said die having longitudinally convexed walls within its cavity of such greater curvature as to ease off the pressure toward the such ends, and thezenith of said convexities eliminate contact at being in proximal relation to the most worn portions of the bar to be'filled out whereby (piortions' e.

e cavities defining enerally conforming the bar and to the closing of selected'die cavity walls on less worn ortions of the bar.

5. A die for reform ng worn rail joint bars including a pair of opposing die -members having cooperating die cavities defining when closed a space generally conforming to the bar shape smaller at the center than at the ends and including intercommunicating spaces for the metal of the bar head, web and foot, certain of the longitudinal walls of said cavities being longitudinally convexed forsubstantially the length of thebar with the zenith of convexities in proximal relation to the most worn' portions of a bar in the die space whereby to forge said bar at said zenith initially to flow the metal thereof into its most worn portions before the dies finally close on substantially the whole bar.

6. A die for reforming worn rail joint bars including a pair of opposing die members having cooperating die cavities defining when closed a space generally conforming to the bar shape smaller at the center than at the ends and including intercommunicating spaces for the metal of the bar head, web and the bar and to the closing of selected die cavity walls on less worn ortions of the bar. In "witness whereof, I ereunto subscribe my name this 30th day of March, 1929.

I GEORGE LANGFORD.

foot, certain of the longitudinal walls of said cavities being longitudinally convexed with the zenith of convexities in proximal relation to most worn portions of a bar in the die s ace whereby to forge said bar at said zenit to flow the metal thereof into its most worn or-,

tions initially, and prior-to the closing 0 the die cavity walls upon the redistributed metal at the most worn portions of the bar and to the closing ofselected die cavity worn portions of the bar.

7. A die for reforming worn rail joint bars including a pair of opposing die members having cooperating die cavities defining when closed a space generally conforming to the bar shape smaller at the center than at the ends and including intercommunicating spaces for the metal of the bar head,"

web and foot, certain of the longitudinal walls of said cavities being longitudinally convexed for substantially the length of the bar with the zenith of convexities in proximal relation to most worr portions of a bar in the die space wherebyto forge said bar at said zenith to flow the metal thereof into its most worn portions initially, and prior to the.

closing of the diecavity walls upon the redistributed metal at the most worn portions of walls on less 7 

